


A Moment.

by erroreros



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Angst, Ben Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves Friendship, Ben Hargreeves Deserves Better, Ghost Ben Hargreeves, It makes me sad that i have to use this tag, No Incest, Number Five | The Boy Has Issues, Number Five | The Boy Needs A Hug, Number Five | The Boy has PTSD, Other, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Klaus Hargreeves, Sober Klaus Hargreeves, i love how many tags is just "yeah number five's got alot going on", uh help i dont know how to write klaus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-04 17:46:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25390339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/erroreros/pseuds/erroreros
Summary: In the snow, Number Five is reminded so dearly of the ashes that were once scattered on the ground.Klaus and Ben, who both notice him in the snow, decide to reach out a hand.
Relationships: Ben Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves, Number Five | The Boy & Ben Hargreeves, Number Five | The Boy & Klaus Hargreeves
Comments: 10
Kudos: 318





	A Moment.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! This is my first fic, so anything helping my writing would be fantastic!  
> I'll try to write more as time goes on!

The ashes fall slow, as if cinematic, as if fake. The air feels warm yet cold at the same time, a feeling of disgust, fear, and sheer paranoia flowing through the air. It’s so quiet— but the silence feels deafening. Too deafening. Too quiet. He can feel his breath stuck in his throat, his next moments shaky, as the shock once again sets in. The world is vivid, dangerous, and unforgiving. On that day, he learns that lesson, one that was meant to be taught through time, but instead is taught in moments. 

He cannot breathe, standing in shock, as if the world were simply fake— as if the rubble and the bodies that laid underneath were nothing but stock. Eventually, his knees buckle out and he falls to his knees.

The ash is cold. Just as he remembered it.

\---

There’s a long pause as Klaus stares at Five from afar. It’s been at least an hour? Roughly? He’s been watching Opera so it’s a bit hard to recollect everything. Opera really does make the time fly. Regardless, he looks over, puzzled at his own brother. He’s just standing there. In the cold. On his knees. 

“ He’s going to get a cold. “ Ben says, once again pointing out the obvious— eyes narrowing at Five, and then Klaus. 

“ You should check on him, “ he continues, both of them now staring outside through the window of the Hargreaves home.

“ Check on him?! Benny … I have so much to live for! Like strawberry doughnuts! And-and-“

“ And, he’s going to get a cold. He’s been out there for almost two hours. “

“ It’s been two hours? “

“ Klaaaauuuuus. “

“ Beeeeeeen. “

“ Go check on him. “

Klaus let out a groan, bending his head back before getting off the couch he was on. Stretching out his body, he could feel a few joints crack as he stood up.

“ Man … think I should work out more? “

“ Good one. “ Ben retorts with a cheeky grin.

“ I know, I’m hilarious. “ Klaus says, placing a hand on his own chest, clearly proud. 

Walking out, Klaus’s feet hit the floor one by one, his movements growing gradually slower—

“ Just check on him already. “

“ I KNOW!! I am— I just, you know. Don’t want to get mauled by my own little baby bro. “ Klaus says, spinning over to where Ben was, crossing his arms in defiance.

“ You’re not gonna get mauled— he’s not a wild animal. “

Klaus raises an eyebrow.

“ … he’s not  _ that _ wild of an animal. Come on— he’s got to be freezing out there. Or at least cold. “

“ … yeah, I guess … but I’m leaving the sliding door open! I want a chance to retreat before I’m taken in by the  _ horde _ . “

Ben laughs, before deeply sighing— looking at Klaus with a knowing yet oddly demanding look.

“ Okay—! Okay, okay, jeez, I’m going. “ Klaus says with little enthusiasm, walking to the sliding door and opening it— looking out at Five from afar.

“ Five —? Five! “

\---

It’s so cold. He can tell because he was shivering. Logically, this might also be nerves. Or, possibly, a panic attack. While in the wasteland, he’d never been able to find the words to associate the feeling. The feeling of your lungs constricting, the want to vomit arising as if all the blood in your body has been leaked out of you. It has only been when he and Delores were raiding the remains of the library for something to burn he had found a book. The title felt foggy in his head at the moment, everything was hard to recall. There isn’t much reminiscing when your family laid beneath you under the rubble. 

He felt a faint murmur under his breath, a soft no, escape his lips quickly as the stones piled at his feet. The tears that fell down his cheeks barely registered, his snifflings feeling pathetic— not that he was concerned about his pride at the moment. Five did not want to relive this. But here he was, in the dirt of corpses, the coldness, in the ash. 

“  _ Five—?  _ “

No. No. The word, the feeling, it made his body revolt. They were all dead again, everyone was gone again, he was alone. All because of his idiotic pride. All because he couldn’t listen. All because …

“ Five! “

\---

Klaus stares at him. Ben was right, as he usually was. He guesses that, in the afterlife, there was a lot less to focus on. Could ghosts even eat? He knew they could read since he usually saw Ben in a book. Regardless, what set off the warning bells in Klaus’ brain was the sniffling. It was surprisingly quiet without the others around. Everyone was out doing something or the other at the moment— the grounds around the academy were eerily quiet. It’s why Klaus didn’t commonly take walks around the house or the yard. It just felt too unsettling. So hearing those small sniffles, the sniffles radiating from his 58 (maybe?) year old brother felt odd. It felt shocking, even-- uncomfortable coming from his brother. The brother who always had spirits following him around-- spirits who he had killed while they were still … you know, around. The brother who barely slept and practically lived off coffee, refusing to waste time, guided by logic. Pausing for a moment, Klaus forgets his fear, his face falling into a soft frown.

“ Hey-hey hey hey hey -- Fivey? Five ?? “ He says in rapid succession, rushing out into the snow to accompany his brother with worry. 

Ben follows quietly, moving in front of the other-- while Klaus moves behind. 

“ He’s crying, ” Ben comments, on his knees in front of the 58-year-old child, “ he’s definitely going to catch a cold. “

Klaus now visibly frowns (his soft frown now evolving), putting a hand on his brother’s shoulder without the hesitation he had before. His fear of possible death by the hands of his brother is outweighed by the love he has for him. Under the sudden touch, Five shivered-- not that he wasn’t already shaking beforehand. The touch was warm in the cold snow, the freezing winter holding no solace, as per usual.

“ … Five? “

\---

Warm. Sudden warmness snaps him out of the ash and brutal wasteland that was the world out of the apocalypse. It’s so cold-- apart of him wants to learn into the touch, the heat, the savior-- but his pride rips him away from that luxury. It takes him a few moments to register that … no, he is thankfully not in the ash. His breath catches, the cold filling his lungs once more. He’s not in the ash, he repeats his body still shaking. The man struggles to stay in the moment, chest feeling heavy, body feeling weak, mind feeling hazy. Stay in the moment. 

“ … Five? “

The name registers, as the smaller one snaps his head in Klaus’ direction. His eyes stared back into Five’s -- a snuffle echoing out from him unwillingly. He felt his breath get caught in his throat, a feeling of shame and disgust running through his body as the hand on his shoulder finally found it’s the owner. 

Klaus. How long has he been here?

After a moment of silence, Five swats the other’s hand away, quickly moving to wipe away wears with the back of his hand, along with his sleeve. There’s a grunt before he silently stands, Klaus staring at the other with a look of concern--  _ pity. _ Five shoots a look back, one that he’s given others, one that he’d only use if he’d want the other to crumble. A harsh look for a rash judgment. In response, his brother doesn’t run, however, instead of making a face that only worsens into his seeming pity. To Klaus, his look is one that shatters his heart-- his brother’s eyes look red and puffy, clearly from crying extensively. 

“ Fuck off, “ he spits out, his voice quieter than he would’ve liked. 

It sounds weak. Pathetic, mostly-- terribly and horribly weak. If only his father could see him now. Something in Five scoffs at the idea of his own father’s disappointment. His face is in a frown-- tears still falling no matter how horribly he wants them to stop. The man feel his voice shaking, his vocal cords clearly congested from the cold and the crying. Pathetic-- the word repeats in his own head over and over. He’s lived long in the apocalyptic world, he’s helped save the world from ending, he’s killed hundreds upon hundreds. A little snow should mean nothing. This should be a passing breeze, the memories should be pressed down by now, everything should be forgotten, he should --

“ … Five. “ His voice is softer, interrupting his thoughts.

“ I’m … I’m not a child, “ Five says with fiercer velocity, bearing his teeth at the other, another sight he wanted him to leave, “ do not treat me like one. ”

“ I’m not treating you like a child -- !! “ Klaus says, quick to defensive, putting his hands up quickly, “ I just … well. Ya’ know. You’re my big bro. I’m worried about you. You’ve been standing in the snow for an hour -- “

“ Two hours, “ Ben comments, with his eyes raised.

“ -- two hours, and … you know I care about you, right? We all do-- “

“ Shut up, Number Four. I’m fine. Leave. Go back to doing … whatever your small brain does to entertain itself. “ Another bitter remark, perhaps less bitter than he’d intended. His voice is too small and childish, too weak from the tears and sniffles, to sound as powerful as it did before.

“ … Five. No -- I’m … Lil’ bro. I’m going to just leave you here! At least-- “ Klaus pleads quickly, Ben nearby visibly cringing, clearly knowing what’s coming.

“ I am NOT a CHILD, Number Four-- “ Five croaks, voice raising itself without him even meaning it, emotions once bubbling in his stomach beginning to arise involuntarily. 

His breaths, already shaky and unbalanced, soon begin to become heavier as tears fall quicker down his cheeks. No. He couldn’t do this here-- at this rate, he’d have some sort of emotional meltdown. Five knew he couldn’t do this here, not in front of his brother, not in front of anyone except Delores. He needed Delores. His hands began to glow with familiar blue energy, fingers twitching as he planned to teleport away.

But before he could, Klaus jumped in and hugged him. It was a last-ditch effort, a moment he clearly hadn’t thought through, something that he thought would possibly end his life early. Possibly. 

But he didn’t jump. Five stiffened, his breathing suddenly halting for a moment as his brother cradled his small body. His body goes limp in the hug, a sniffle escaping him before he could stop it. Falling to his knees once more, and Klaus with him, he finds himself childishly burying himself in the other. There’s nothing he can explain, nothing he’d like to explain at least. But the small sentiment, the small hug, makes him feel more home than he’d ever felt in years. Klaus can feel his brother’s breathing on his chest, tears slowly beginning to brim at his own eyes.    
“ Hey-hey … it’s okay. It’s okay. I’m here, “ Klaus speaks with a weak voice, holding the other even closer.

After long moments, he feels the other’s arms wrap around him, his small arms juxtaposed by his old mind. Five hugs back slowly, treasuring the moment as much as Klaus was. Tears begin to spill from Klaus, a tad nervous, a tad fearful-- but mostly empathetic. Ben watches from afar, taking a deep sigh as he walks over. Soon, he too joins the hug. There’s no way any of them can explain how much they truly sympathize with the other at this moment. Not now. Eventually, one day, but not at the present.

But for now, everything is okay.

The snow falls slowly, as if cinematic, as if fake. And yet, the moment feels so real.


End file.
